


Two of a Kind

by TheDVirus



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Brain Damage, Fight Club - Freeform, Former enemies, Friendship, Gen, Male Friendship, Opening Night, Past Relationship(s), Theatre, non pairing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-13
Updated: 2017-11-13
Packaged: 2019-02-01 22:24:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12714030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDVirus/pseuds/TheDVirus
Summary: Ed and Grundy prepare for that night's performance in Cherry's Place and offer each other some useful advice.





	Two of a Kind

‘What do you think?’ Ed asked, adjusting the beak like nose piece, ‘Too much?’

Grundy shrugged.   
He was sitting on the beat up couch watching Ed prep for that night’s show.  
He never seemed to do anything on his own initiative.   
Ed didn’t mind though.  
He enjoyed having a personal sounding board.  
That hadn’t been conjured up through hallucinogenic drugs.

‘Let’s see now’, Ed said, moving from one foot to the other experimentally, ‘His leg is damaged so I should hobble? Or maybe more of a limp?’

‘Penguin hurt?’

‘Nothing he didn’t deserve’, Ed sniffed, putting gel in his hair, ‘Happened a long time ago’.

‘But, he still hurt?’

Ed supposed he shouldn’t be surprised at Grundy’s confusion.  
Confusion was more or less his default setting.   
Figures it would be worse than usual when Grundy was forced to ponder the idea of injuries that didn’t heal within five minutes of being inflicted.   
However, Grundy’s almost concerned tone about Penguin’s injury made Ed surprisingly uncomfortable.   
He stopped trying to ape Oswald’s distinctive gait and brushed down the new suit he had procured for the part.

‘You know what? Forget the limp, it’s beneath me’, Ed conceded, ‘Penguin has plenty of other flaws after all’.

He certainly didn’t feel bad about mocking it!  
Oswald deserved everything he got!

‘You and Penguin friends?’

‘Who told you that?’ Ed snapped, accidentally snapping the old umbrella he had found.

‘Doctor said’, Grundy said, pointing in the general direction of Lee’s usual seat at the bar.

‘I’ve told you: don’t believe everything Lee Thompkins says’, Ed deadpanned, examining the umbrella critically.

It wouldn’t open and close anymore but it would still be a worthwhile prop.  
As he twirled it idly, he caught sight of Grundy staring at him in the mirror.  
He was still waiting for an answer.  
Sensing Grundy would repeat the query if he didn’t get an answer, Ed rolled his eyes.

‘We were friends’, Ed said, ‘Until Penguin hurt me. Hurt the woman I loved’.

‘What her name?’

‘Isabella’, Ed replied.

The name sounded odd.  
When was the last time Ed had thought about her?  
He couldn't remember.  
No doubt another side effect of being frozen.

‘Isabelle’, Grundy whispered in an almost awestruck tone.

Ed slammed the umbrella down. 

‘No! No!’ Ed snapped, gesturing wildly at nothing in particular, ‘Not Isabelle! Isa-‘

Ed saw Grundy’s widened eyes and snapped his jaw shut.  
Part of him felt bad for raging at Grundy (he didn’t know any better after all) but it was mostly self-preservation.  
He didn’t want to risk triggering something in Grundy’s mind which could cause a relapse to his former personality.  
Especially not when things were going so well.

‘Penguin killed her’, Ed said, putting the umbrella down and turning back to the mirror.

‘Sorry’, Grundy intoned dolefully, eyes on the floor, ‘Not mean to make Ed sad’.

‘Don’t worry about it’, Ed said with forced brightness, ‘Happened a long time ago now’.

Ed didn’t like to see Grundy upset.  
It was like seeing a big dumb puppy get kicked.

‘But still hurts?’

Ed smiled fondly at Grundy, grateful for the sympathy.  
How could someone like Grundy be so insightful?

‘Penguin’s hurt a lot of innocent people’.

‘Grundy and Ed innocent people?’

Ed opened then instantly closed his mouth.  
He thought for a few minutes, weighing up the evidence.  
Grundy idly scratched his head as he waited for Ed to finish thinking.

‘More innocent than Penguin’, Ed shrugged, fighting the urge to place an invisible question mark at the end of the sentence, ‘I’m… fairly sure’.

Grundy nodded decisively, mind made up.

‘He hurt Grundy friend. Penguin bad person. Penguin mean’.

‘Mean? Hah! That’s being generous!’ Ed cried, ‘He’s selfish, immature, greedy and only cares about himself! He’s just a stupid, lame…uh, uh-‘  
Ed snarled as he cast about for a suitable adjective.

‘Bird-birdy-‘, Ed snapped his fingers as one finally presented itself, ‘Birdbrain!’

Grundy gave an abrupt, deep laugh.

‘Hah! Penguin is bird! Funny!’

Ed can’t help but laugh along with Grundy’s uproarious guffaws.  
His enthusiasm was infectious!

‘Well that’s a big thumbs up for that gag’, Ed smiled, wiping away a mirthful tear, ‘If you get it, everyone will. And it rhymes!’

Ed picked up his new hat and turned it in his hands. It glistened in the light thanks to the subtle glitter embedded in the surface.  
Ed placed it on his head and waggled both hands in a jazzy gesture.  
He almost felt like himself again.  
Like The Riddler.

‘Whatcha think?’ he asked Grundy, tipping the bowler hat with one hand dramatically.

‘Ed shiny’, Grundy assessed, pointing to Ed’s outfit.

‘Why, thank you’, Ed smirked, bowing low, hat outstretched like a carnival barker. 

There was a harsh ringing noise and Ed rubbed his hands together.  
Showtime!

‘You all set?’ he asked Grundy, preparing to head down to the ring.

Grundy got to his feet ponderously. Ed could sense a statement of deep gravitas struggling to form in Grundy’s brain behind the furrowed brow.  
Ed patiently waited until he saw Grundy blink hard and he realised he was ready to voice what was on his mind.

‘Grundy not let anyone hurt Ed’, Grundy said and slapped Ed on the back.

Ed fell forward and just about caught himself by grabbing a nearby hat rack.  
He coughed from the blow, back aching.  
If Grundy kept being so friendly maybe he wouldn’t have to fake Oswald’s limp after all!

‘Right back atcha big guy’, Ed grunted as he straightened, ‘Now, remember what I said?’

Grundy held up a massive hand and opened and closed the fingers slowly.  
Ed couldn’t help but swallow at the size of the meaty fingers and the strength inherent in the grasping gesture.

‘No squeeze Ed neck’, Grundy recited, ‘Just pretend’.

Ed punched Grundy playfully on the arm to confirm he had given a correct answer.   
Despite the relatively light punch, Ed winced as his knuckles instantly protested at the solid impact as they made contact with Grundy’s tough body.  
Grundy grinned at Ed’s companionable gesture and walked out of the door, eager to begin the night’s festivities. 

‘Make sure you remember in the ring okay?’ Ed said, waving his hand vigorously to dispel the ache, ‘I can’t afford to lose any more brain cells!’

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from one of Ed Nygma's lines in 'Batman Forever'


End file.
